Miles, Charles, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1850, this clapboard house at 131 Lincoln Street in Worcester is an Italianate residence with a nearly square plan, a hip roof, and a rear ell centered on the east wall. It sits on a rock-faced granite foundation and is two stories tall. Notable details include corner quoins, a modillioned cornice, a roof balustrade or "widow's walk," bay windows, and window caps set on consoles. The original facade porch, framed by arched openings, is singled out as an especially fine feature. Charles Miles, a clerk in the Worcester County Treasurer's Office, was the original owner. Directory listings place him as a boarder at a relative's house through 1849, then at a Lincoln Street address in 1850, and a house appears on the site on an 1851 map, which suggests the construction date. The house has served as a residence and later as a residence and office. It is regarded as one of Worcester's best examples of Italianate domestic architecture, alongside the similar John Hammond House.
Significance in brief: Together with the John Hammond House, which it resembles, it is described as one of Worcester's best examples of Italianate residential architecture. Its fine details include quoins, a modillioned cornice, a balustraded roof and an original arched porch.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 80000527, listed March 5, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 131 Lincoln St., Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 5, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000527 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential and office; the form states the building is unaltered and has not been moved. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.27809, -71.79360 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 80000527.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5080940
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.